Luca Brasi was indeed a man to frighten the devil in himself.

Short, squat, massive-skulled, his

presence sent out alarm bells of danger. His face was stamped into a mask of fury.The eyes werebrown but with none of the warmth of that color, more a deadly tan. The mouth was not so muchcruel as lifeless, thin, rubbery and the color of a veal.Brasis reputation for violence was awesome and his devotion to Don Corleone legendary. Hewas, in himself, one of the great blocks that supported the Dons power structure. His kind was ararity.Luca Brasi did not fear the police, he did not fear society, he did not fear God, he did not fearhell, he did not fear or love his fellowmen. But he had elected, he had chosen, to fear and loveDon Corleone. Ushered into the presence of the Don, the terrible Brasi held himself stiff withrespect. He stuttered over the flowery congratulations he offered and his formal hope that he firstgrandchild would be masculine. He then handed the Don an envelope stuffed with cash as a giftfor the bridal couple.So that was what he wanted to do. Hagen noticed the change in Don Corleone. The don receivedBrasi as a king greets a subject who has done him an enormous service, never familiar but withregal respect. With every gesture, with every word, Don Corleone made it clear to Luca Brasi thathe was valued. Not for one moment did he show surprise at the wedding gift being presented tohim personally.He understood in the envelope was sure to be more than anyone else had given. Brasi had spentmany hours deciding on the sum, comparing it to what the other guests might offer. He wanted tobe the most generous to show that he had the most respect, and that was why he had given theenvelope to the Don personally, a gaucherie that the Don overlooked in his own flowery sentenceof thanks. Hagen saw Luca Brasis face lose its mask of fury, swell with pride and pleasure. Brasikissed the dons hand before he went out the door that Hagen held open. Hagen prudently gaveBrasi a friendly smile which the squat man acknowledged with a polite stretching of rubbery,veal-coloured lips.When the door closed, Don Corleone gave a small sigh of relief. Brasi was the only man in theworld who could make him nervous. The man was like a natural force, not truly subject tocontrol. He had to be handled as gingerly as dynamite. The Don shrugged. Even dynamite couldbe exploded harmlessly if the need arose.